1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heatpipe with a hermetically-sealed residual gas collector vessel which stands in communication with the condensation end or upper end of the heatpipe.
Designated as a heat pipe is primarily a connecting element which extends in a direction of heat conductance, in which the heat of vaporization of a fluid is utilized for the heat conductance, which is vaporized at the hot end and again condensed at the colder end. Usually this heatpipe is formed by a hermetically-sealed tilted tube which contains a small quantity of a low boiling fluid. The lower region of the tube is brought into contact with a region of excess heat (for example, a solar collector) and there heated. Hereby, the fluid contained therein is vaporized and the vapor will rise into the upper region of the tube, from which heat is withdrawn whereby the fluid condenses and, due to gravity, will then again return to the lower region of the tube. Such an at least between slightly inclined up to vertical arrangement of the tube is not required when the reconveyance of the condensed fluid can be effectuated through capillary forces (through the intermediary of a correspondingly shaped inner wall).
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Since an absolutely sealed receptacle does not exist, and the heatpipe in the cold condition thereof evidences a vacuum with respet to ambience, during the course of time a gas cushion will form within the heatpipe, which increasingly hinders the heat conductance or even bring it to a standstill. In order to reduce the disruptive influence of the collecting gas, in German Published Patent Application No. 21 37 227 there has already been proposed an additional residual gas collector vessel which stands in communication with the upper end of the heatpipe, which is arranged above the upper end of the heatpipe and which is provided with a good thermal insulation. By means of such a collector vessel, the residual gas component in the heatpipe can reduce itself and its function can thus be extended. However, it is disadvantageous that such a collector vessel produces a heat loss and, moreover, it can be spatially hindersome so that, further, the occasionally relatively high pressures which are encountered during heatpipe operation must also be withstood by this collector vessel.